Writing to Card vs. writing to vista hcx direct

[CarphuntinGod]

I put maps on my data card through a card reader instead of leaving card in gps. Went super fast for file transfer, and everything appeared to work well.

 

Tried then to write some waypoints to the card direct..... They didn't show up in the gps (I can see files on the card... but gps doesn't).

 

Wrote waypoints direct to gps from Mapsource, and they do show up.

 

Is there some trick to writing directly to the card from Mapsource for stuff other than maps?

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Waypoints can only be stored on the unit itself. They cannot be stored on the card. The number of Waypoints that can be stored on a GPS unit is fixed by the firmware, and there is space allotted on the unit for them.

 

You can, however, use Garmin's POI Loader software to load points as Custom POIs if that fits your particular situation. Custom POIs are limited only by the space available on the card.

[+Miragee]

You can use Garmin's POI Loader to send waypoints to the GPSr as Points of Interest. I export .gpx files from GSAK for the POI Loader.

[+Kit Fox]

I put maps on my data card through a card reader instead of leaving card in gps. Went super fast for file transfer, and everything appeared to work well.

 

Tried then to write some waypoints to the card direct..... They didn't show up in the gps (I can see files on the card... but gps doesn't).

 

Wrote waypoints direct to gps from Mapsource, and they do show up.

 

Is there some trick to writing directly to the card from Mapsource for stuff other than maps?

 

Do you have your map display set to show waypoints at the closest zoom levels. When I first started downloading POIs, I never saw them. It turned out the visibility settinggs were set to something like 500 feet or less.

 

The advantage of writing maps and POIs directly to the chip, via car reader, is the ability to store mulitple files at the same time. When you download new POIs or maps through the gps, the old files are overwritten (deleted).

[CarphuntinGod]

I've got the zoom stuff right (saw that early on).

 

I'll need to learn the POI loader thingy.

 

tracks and routes can be stored on the card, can't they?

[jmundinger]

I put maps on my data card through a card reader instead of leaving card in gps. Went super fast for file transfer, and everything appeared to work well.

 

Assuming that you are using MapSource, I'm curious to know how you created a map file that could be transferred directly to the card.

[cliff_hanger]

I put maps on my data card through a card reader instead of leaving card in gps. Went super fast for file transfer, and everything appeared to work well.

 

Assuming that you are using MapSource, I'm curious to know how you created a map file that could be transferred directly to the card.

 

All Garmin mas files created with Mapsource are named "gmapsupp.img" and are stored on the SD card in the "Garmin" folder.

 

Insert SD card into a card reader. In Mapsend, select maps and choose "Send to Device". Mapsource will find your card and place the map in the correct folder.

[jmundinger]

All Garmin mas files created with Mapsource are named "gmapsupp.img" and are stored on the SD card in the "Garmin" folder.

 

Insert SD card into a card reader. In Mapsend, select maps and choose "Send to Device". Mapsource will find your card and place the map in the correct folder.

 

Thanks. If I understand correctly, it is the same routine as for loading maps into the GPSr, except that the card/card reader rather than the GPSr is connected to the USB port.

[cliff_hanger]

All Garmin mas files created with Mapsource are named "gmapsupp.img" and are stored on the SD card in the "Garmin" folder.

 

Insert SD card into a card reader. In Mapsend, select maps and choose "Send to Device". Mapsource will find your card and place the map in the correct folder.

 

Thanks. If I understand correctly, it is the same routine as for loading maps into the GPSr, except that the card/card reader rather than the GPSr is connected to the USB port.

 

Yes.

 

I would guess that (at least with my Vista HCx) when loading maps to the GPSr, the GPSr simply acts as a card reader like in Mass Storage Mode since the maps are stored on the SD card instead of in internal memory.

 

So, internal memory holds:

Waypoints and Geocaches (hence the 1k limit), Basemap, Firmware

 

SD card holds:

Additional maps (topo, CN, etc)

Custom POIs (limited only by SD card memory)

Routes

Tracks (I think they are listed as date.gpx files in the root of the SD card?)

[jmundinger]

Yes.

 

I would guess that (at least with my Vista HCx) when loading maps to the GPSr, the GPSr simply acts as a card reader like in Mass Storage Mode since the maps are stored on the SD card instead of in internal memory.

 

This thread has been a useful tip. Based on the exchange, I tried it and that is just how it worked. I created a map set in MapSource and, when I did "send", it found the micro sd card in the card reader in the usb port. And, as CarphuntinGod suggested, it was noticeably faster than loading to the GPSr with the card in the unit.